Apparatus for intravenous injection of fluids into the body.



J. H. STEVENS.

APPARATUS FOR INTRAVENOUS INJECTION 0F FLUIDS INTO THE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Invenror James H. STevens JAMES H. STEVENS, or BosroNjM ssA'cHUsnrrs.

APPARATUS FOR INTn vnNoi-IsENJEoTIoN or rLmpsIN'ro' THE BODY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES H. STEvENs,'a'

citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement n Apparatus for Intravenous Injection' of Fluids into the Body, ofwhich the following.- description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, .is a specification, --like characters on the drawing representing like parts. This invention relates to an improved apparatus for intravenous injection of that type involving two containersor reservoirs adapted to contain fluids of. different character, and both of Which'are connected to a discharge tube leading to the cannula or intravenous needle. In using'apparatus of this type it is customary to fill one of the containers with a normal salt solution or and after the needle has been introduced into the vein the salt or other equivalent solution is allowed to run for a short time, after which the required quantity of the medicinal solution is allowed to run, the salt solution being out off. In some devices of this type the flow of the solutions from the containers or reservoir is by the action of gravity alone and this requires that the container should be suspended sufficiently high above .the patient to get the required pressure. When the apparatus is suspended at the required'height to secure the desired pressure, the apparatus is often so far above the patient as to make it diflicult to read the graduations on the apparatus clearly to determine the rapidity with which the flow takes place and the amount flowing.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a novel apparatus of this type in which any desired pressure can be maintained in the containers so that they may be placed in any position where they can be readily observedwithout-causing any variation in the flow of the liquid therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure ofthis type which, has associated therewith acombined bubble and sediment catcher by which both bubbles and sediment will be trapped as they pass through the discharge tube.

The invention also has for its object to improve devices of this type, all as willbe Specification of Letters Patent. PamntedNov, 2, 15 Appiication filed April 28, 1915. Serial No. 24,430.

more, fully hereinafter described, .and then pointed out in the. appended claims.

catchers embodying my invention.

I have shown at 1 and 2 two containers which are preferably made of glass, although they may be, made of any material. These two containers, are supported in a framework herein shown as comprising a central. rod or member 3 having at its lower end a clamp 4 bywhich it may be clamped to the edge of 'a table, shelf or similar article and also having .twotransversely-extending members 5 and 6 in which the containers 1and'2 are sustained. The containers are shown as made with the nipples 7 of reduced diameter at their lower ends, and these nipples pass through apertures 8 formed in the member 5. The member 6 is provided with apertures 9 of a size to receive the containers. By this means the containers are firmly but removably supported by the frame. The nipple 7 of each container has a tube 10 connected thereto, said tubes leading to a Y connection 11 to which adischarge tube 12 is secured, the latter leading to a cannula or intravenous needle 13. The tubes 10 are shown as' provided with clips 14. by which the flowof liquid therethrough can be controlled. One of the containers, for instance, the container 1, will be filled with a salt solution,'whil e the other container will be filled with the medicinal solution of some appropriate character, depending on the use to which the invention is to be put. The container that holds the medicinal solution will preferably be graduated as indicated in the drawings.

In order to get a steadv flow from the con tainers at any desired pressure and without elevating the device, I have provided a pressure device which is connected to both containers so that when the device is in operation the liquid in both containers will be subjected to the same pressure. Each container is shown as closed at its upper end by a cap 15 and the containers are connected and communicate with each other through pressing and releasing the bulb 18 the exl.)tlll5ll3l(-. chamber 19 may be filled with air under any desired ru'essure. and this pressure will be transmitted to the containers 1 and 2 through the pipe 17. By using the expansible chamber 19 a steady continuous pressure will be transmitted to the containers thereby insuring a steady constant flow of fluid from the needle, which is highly desirable. The tubular connection is shown as provided with a dilation'20 which may be filled with some filtering material so as to filter the air.

The connection .10 leading to the container eontainingthe medicinal solution is provided with a transparent section 21 through which the flow of the liquid can be observed, and I will-preferably also make the connection 11 ofg lasfsl or other transparent material for this-same purpose.

In using the device the apparatus will be clamped to the edge of a table, chair or other article adjacent the patient and in a position where it can be easily observed and the graduations thereon can be easily read. The bulb 18is then operated to develop in the expansion chamber 19' and containers 1 and 2 the desired pressure, it being noted that the same pressure is applied to the liquid in both containers. After the needle 13 is introduced into the vein or other cavity of the body, a certain amount of salt solution from the container 1 is allowed to flow in order to show that the needle is in the vein and that there is nothing to hinder the flow from the container, the medicinal solution being prevented from flowing by the clip 14 on the connection leading to the container 2. After a suflicient amount of salt solution has flowed the clip 14 controlling the flow of salt solution is closed and the other one opened thereby allowing the medicinal solution to flow into the veins. Because of the fact that both containers are connected and the pressure therein is controlled by the pressure apparatus 18, 19, an even steady fiow of liquid is secured regardless of the position relative to the patient in which the apparatus may be placed. Since the apparatus can be placed close to the patient, the graduations on the tube 2 can be easily read and the attendant can watch the progress of the flow from the container 2 more easy than if the apparatus were hung up sufliciently high above the patient to get the required pressure by gravity.

If the treatment calls for the use of all the medicinal solution in the container 2, the attendant will. watch the transparent portion 21 of the connection to see when the liquid in the container 2 stops flowing through said transparent portion, and this will indicate to him when to shutoff the flow of liquid.

The advantage of using the pressure apparatus above described over an apparatus which operates by gravity is that a much greater pressure can be obtained in the containers than is possible by gravity, and the necessary pressmecan be secured to cause the' liquid to flow at any desired rate regardless of the size of the needle.

I propose to employ an expansible chamher or distensible bulb 19 which is large enough to force the fluid of both tubes into the veins by one distention thereof. The ad vantage of this is that it provides an apparatus that can be handled by one man without an attendant, for the operator can first distend the chamber 19 to secure the proper pressure therein, after which it will be only necessary for him to manipulate the needle and the clips, both of which are sterile, in order to affect the transfer of the fluid into the veins.

It sometimes happens that small bubbles of air will be taken in along with the liquid from the container, and as the introduction of air into the veins brings deleterious results, it is desirable to prevent them from passing through the needle. I have provided herein a bubble catcher which also acts as a sediment catcher, the same device operating to trap both bubbles and any sediment which may be contained in the liquid.

This combined bubble and sediment catcher is provided with a through passage through which the liquid flows and with enlarged portions or dilations extending both above and below said passage. Since the bubbles are lighter than the liquid, they will naturally pass into the upper dilation and become trapped therein, the sediment, however, which is heavier than the liquid will gravitate to the lower dilation and will become trapped therein.

I have shown in the drawings two forms of combined sediment and bubble catchers, both of which embody my invention. In Fig. 2 this device comprises a member 24 having a through passage 25 therethrough, which member is enlarged intermediate of its ends to form a chamber or space 26 above the passage and another space 27 below the passage 25. This member is introduced at some point in the discharge pipe 12 so that theliquid passes therethrough in passing to the needle 13.

In Fig. 3 I have shown another embodiment of my invention in which the device comprises a body portion 30 having inlet openings 28 and outlet openings 29 that are offset from each other, said body being shaped to present a bubble-receiving space or chamber 31 that extends above the discharge end of the inlet passage 28 anda sediment-receiving chamber 32 which eX-. tends below the outlet end of the discharge passage 29. The device shown in Fig. 2 is designed to operate in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, and the device shown in Fig. 3 is designed to operate in a vertical position.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of communicating containers, of means to support said containers, a discharge tube connected to said containers, an intravenous needle connected to said discharge tube, a pressure ap paratus, tubular means forming the communication between said containers, said pressure apparatus communicating with said tubular means by which the same uniform pressure can be maintained in each of said containers.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of communicating containers, of means to support said containers, a pressure apparatus, tubular.

combination of a plurality of comniunioating containers, a discharge tube connected to said containers, and a combined bubble and sediment trap associated with the discharge tube, said trap provided with a chamber and inlet and outlet passages projecting into said chamber, a portion of said chamber extending abovethe inner end of the inlet passage and a portion thereof extending below the inner end of the outlet passage whereby both bubbles and sediment will be caught in said chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

- JAMES H. STEVENS. 

